Office Breakout Furniture

Breakout Furniture FAQs

Do high back sofas reduce noise?

If the backs and/or the sides of sofas and armchairs are above user head height then yes, they can certainly help to reduce noise on office breakout furniture.

1. They do this by ‘cocooning’ people and providing an acoustic buffer - ideal in busy open plan spaces where noisy conversations and phone calls can bounce off hard surfaces.
2. They also help to increase privacy and reduce distractions in shared spaces.

Will I need power sockets in a staff lounge?

Is there anywhere in the modern workplace where people don’t need power sockets? People need to charge phones, laptops and other devices, whether on their breaks or in meetings staff lounge areas will normally also be used as quiet spaces for work or to make calls.

Good to know

Power and data sockets can be incorporated into most breakout furniture from sofa and chair armrests, canteen table and side table tops.

What is office breakout furniture?

An office breakout furniture area is a place where staff and workers can eat, relax, chat, play games or just have a quiet space to work. Breakout canteen furniture can comprise of sofas and comfy chairs, cafe tables and chairs or canteen tables and benches.

Usually, this furniture is placed in clearly defined zones or even separate rooms.

Quiet & busy spaces

Sofas and chairs work best for chill out or quiet rooms while cafe furniture is useful for busier eating and chatting areas. In open-plan spaces, breakout areas should ideally be separated by staff lockers or room dividers to reduce noise and increase privacy.

Top tip:

Always have a quiet area away from the main entrance door or corridor.

How should I plan an accessible breakout space?

Always consider accessibility for staff members and visitors when planning any office breakout furniture space.

If you include employees in the design process from the earliest stages they will be able to advise you on their preferred access requirements - for instance, height adjustable desks and easy to reach plug sockets can make daily tasks easier for physically disabled employees.

1. Walkways

Walkways should be a minimum of 90cm with at least 150cm passing place so that a wheelchair user can easily pass someone coming in the opposite direction.

If you have an employee who uses a wheelchair, take their advice first - wheelchairs come in many different shapes and sizes these days and some are easier to manoeuvre than others.

2. Quite & private spaces

Arrange breakout furniture so that all staff or visitors can easily eat, drink and join groups and conversations without feeling isolated but also have equal opportunities for privacy. Employees with hidden disabilities may benefit from access to quieter spaces.

3. Sofas & soft seating

For office breakout furniture soft seating consider using sofas with one arm with at least a 45 cm high seat. For eating areas make sure the ends of tables have a sufficient overhang of 70 cm for wheelchair users.

• Eating tables should be at a minimum height of 72cm.
• Consider staff breakout tables with rounded corners rather than sharp angles.